Abstract:
from Article: Researchers of projects at the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands are increasingly considering geospatial
data as an essential component in answering scientific questions. A need exists for high-resolution
geospatial data in both multi- and transdisciplinary research to better analyse fine-scale biotic–abiotic
interactions of the Islands’ landscape and ecosystems within the context of climate change and the impacts
of invasive species. However, much of the geospatial data that currently exist have limitations in spatial
coverage and/or resolution, are outdated, or are not readily available. To address these issues, we present
an online geospatial database for the Prince Edward Islands (both islands) produced from a high-resolution
digital surface model and satellite imagery. This database contains vector files, raster data sets, and maps
of topographical and hydrological parameters. It is freely available to download from Figshare – an open
access data repository. We encourage the South African polar science community to make use of similar
platforms for improved data sharing practices.
